Australia: Exploring Brisbane

I'm so excited to finally share some of our Australia photos with you today! I'll be posting about our trip here and there for the next couple weeks. Our first stop in the Land Down Under was beautiful Brisbane, the biggest city in Queensland. We were lucky enough to have family in the area, so we got to stay at their lovely home and experience the city like locals.

Summer was just ending while we were there, and it was extremely hot and humid. Our hosts said the weather had definitely cooled off since summer was nearly over. We struggled to imagine how hot it must be in the summer!

Top: Anthropologie | Shorts: Topshop | Shoes: J.Crew (love these from this season) | Clutch: Clare V | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Watch: Michael Kors | Lips: NARS 'Yu'

Given the weather, I tried to dress as coolly and comfortably as possible for exploring the city. Light crochet shorts, a breezy crop top, and strappy sandals were about as much clothing as I could handle.

Brisbane was such a pretty and fun city to explore. It went from bustling and urban in one locale, to serene and peaceful in a large Japanese-style garden only a block or two away from the main bus and train station. We wandered around the Brisbane Botanic Garden for a bit and drank in the scenery. While there, we chatted with a local cold-brewed coffee vendor (nothing has every tasted so delicious on a sweltering hot morning!), and she gave us some tips on her favorite restaurants and what we should do in Cairns, where we were headed next.

Other than the time we got to spend with family and friends while in this gorgeous city, I think my favorite part of the Brisbane portion of our trip was exploring the South Bank Parklands in the middle of the city. There's a large public swimming pool there, complete with a beach and shops. Sean and I spent a lot of time just lying on the beach, reading, and people-watching, all the while knowing that work was thousands of miles away.

Overall, we loved the hustle and bustle of Brisbane and our wonderful hosts. We're excited to do another trip sometime in the future and stay even longer.

Going to Australia and unsure where to begin? Comment here or send me an email--I'm always happy to chat about travel plans! Hope you're having a lovely week!

x, Tam

P.S. For glimpses into my everyday life, add me on Snapchat! Username: helloframboise